FMA Flyer 6 June

Published: Wed, 07/01/20

FLYER ISSUE 6: JUNE FLYER 2020

READ IN BROWSER https://archive.aweber.com/newsletter/awlist3776483/MzcwMTY3OA==/fma-flyer-6-june.htm

NEXT FMA MEETING: QLD CHAPTER 5 AUGUST | NSW/ACT CHAPTER 20 AUGUST

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

A new report recently released in the USA claims that millions more properties than previously known across the US are at substantial risk of flooding. And as climate change accelerates, many more will see their flood risk grow.

Those are the findings of a comprehensive new analysis by the First Street Foundation, a nonprofit research and technology group that experts say has put together the fullest picture yet of the country's growing vulnerability to flooding.

When Hurricane Harvey struck Southeast Texas in 2017, more than half of the homes engulfed by floodwaters were located outside city and federally designated 100-year floodplains.

That storm led to a whole-scale rethinking of zoning regulations in the Houston area, and it highlighted the gaping flaws in the country’s system of analysing and communicating flood risks to property owners and prospective buyers.

It made me wonder how many Australian home owners are unaware of their flood risk.

A lot of work has been done in Australia to make flood information available with such recent initiatives as “Flood Zoom” in Victoria, the NSW Flood Data Portal, last year’s release of updated flood mapping for Launceston Tasmania, Queensland’s “Get Ready QLD” initiative and similar projects in every other state and territory.

Nevertheless it still seems to be a surprise to people when a flood happens and their property is affected. The TV news always shows interviews with tearful people who have lost everything and seemingly had no idea of the flood risk to their property.

So why does it always take a flood to make people aware of their flood risk? Who is to blame for such lack of flood risk knowledge? Is it our three levels of government or is it private developers or perhaps it’s us floodplain management 'experts'?

Who needs a “boot up the clacker” to make flood awareness a priority in this country?

Last year, Molino Stewart’s monthly publication, “Floodplain Manager”, questioned whether real estate agents are the right people to alert prospective buyers to potential flood risk because buyers should consider flood risk when purchasing.

Should councils be required to provide more information for inclusion in contracts for sale of properties?

I’d be interested in your feedback.

Meanwhile, FMA provides a great network, a great annual conference, quarterly meetings/workshops in New South Wales and Queensland, a university short course, submissions to government, national and international collaboration and a great website!

We are doing our bit!

ID

Ian Dinham | FMA President

FMA DIGITAL CONFERENCE PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE

FMA Members can now access Conference Papers and Powerpoint Presentations from the 2020 FMA Digital Conference in the Members’ Section of floods.org.au.

Access to these recent Conference Papers is exclusive for current FMA Members for the first 12 months following the Conference, after which they will be made available publicly.

You will need to have login details for the Members’ Section – if you have forgotten your details or need to register, please contact Dominique Jovanovic [email protected].

Non-Members are still able to access the prolific past Conference Papers library with resources spanning the 60 years FMA has been hosting events at floods.org.au/site/conference-resources

If you are a Non-Member who would like to join, please visit our Membership page floods.org.au/site/membership to find out more.

Please note that not all papers and presentations are available – FMA is uploading them as we receive them. If you are after a specific presentation and it is not listed please contact us. If you were a presenter at an FMA Conference and are yet to send through your paper or presentation, please get in touch and do so now.

FMA SUBMISSION TO DPIE FLOOD PRONE LAND PACKAGE REVIEW

This month FMA provided input to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s draft updated Flood Prone Land Package.

FMA commends the Department’s review of the key flood risk management policies that influence planning in NSW, however believes the following fundamental changes should be considered:

• Dispensing with the reliance on a singular flood planning level (FPL) in local environmental plans (LEPs).

• Reviewing the way flood planning areas (FPAs) are delineated in LEPs so that they are consistent with the definition of flood prone land (i.e. floodplain) in the Manual to provide a practical framework for more detailed controls in development control plans (DCPs) for a range of land uses subject to different flood hazards.

• Providing better ways of mapping areas of the floodplain for the planning purposes that reflect a risk based approach to FRM and avoid miscommunicating flood risk to the community.

• Uncomplicating the way the planning system addresses FRM and bringing greater consistency with the FRM process specified by the Manual.

These changes are consistent with the FMA Land Use Planning Position Policy, which is available at floods.org.au/site/technical-information.

To read the full submission and FMA's past submissions, please visit floods.org.au/site/fma-submissions.

UNFORGETTABLE SYDNEY

Following on from FMA's very successful 2020 Digital Conference, planning is well underway for next year's National Conference to be held in Sydney. The four day event will be held at Luna Park on the Sydney Harbour waterfront with numerous opportunities for professional networking, collaboration and knowledge sharing.

In addition to the event being the key learning event of the FRM industry, it is also a celebration of Floodplain Management Australia's 60th anniversary. The week is sure to be an unforgettable experience. So, make sure you save the date now! FMA will be providing monthly updates through the Flyer and at our in-person Meetings over the next 12 months.

We look forward to seeing you and your colleagues there!

FRM SHORT COURSE TO BE TRIALLED ONLINE

FMA is excited to announce that we are now working with the University of Technology-Sydney (UTS) and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to develop a virtual Flood Risk Management Short Course.

To test the online content we need up to 10 volunteers to participate in the course at no cost in return for providing feedback.

Please note that the 2020 Course is a 'beta-version' and will only be available to UTS students and the 10 FMA reviewers.

The UTS will run the virtual course through their online learning platforms. It will be over the usual three month period, from August to October, in weekly sessions with the presentations loaded onto the student portals to watch at leisure. The presenter will then be available for discussion and tutorials once per week. The course content will be NSW-centric, focussing on An Introduction to Floodplain Risk Management, Effective Consideration of Flood Risk in Land Use Planning and Managing Flood Risk to Existing Properties.

The first online session will be held on Thursday 6 August.

We are asking for expressions of interest from FMA Members, with preference to be given to those in NSW regional areas. Please advise your interest to Glenn Evans: [email protected] indicating your role in Flood Risk Management, and how the course would benefit you and your organisation.

WELCOME NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBER

FMA would like to welcome its newest Associate Member – the South Australian Department for Environment and Water.

The Department is the Flood Hazard Leader for South Australia. This means it co-ordinates activities to reduce the negative impact of flooding on South Australians and ensure that the community is able to prepare for, respond to and recover from flood incidents.

To find out more about the Department, visit https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/

FMA has a Membership of over 160 Councils, CMAs, organisations and professionals from around the nation and overseas and is the main voice on flood risk management in Australia. To join this ever-growing network of flood professionals, visit floods.org.au/membership to find more.

URBAN FLOODING FORUM

The February FMA Flyer advised of the US Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Foundation report on “the emerging threat” of urban flooding in the United States. The report Urban Flooding: Moving Towards Resilience says urban flooding is becoming more frequent and severe, with increasingly serious impacts to stormwater infrastructure, vulnerable neighbourhoods, local and regional economies, and public health.

The report is based on proceedings of the 6th Assembly of the Gilbert F. White National Flood Policy Forum, attended by more than 100 experts from local, state, and federal agencies, professional associations and environmental groups and private sector organisations. The report is at: https://www.asfpmfoundation.org/ace-images/UrbanFloodingReport.pdf

FMA Deputy President Allan Gear, who has spoken at various FMA forums on overland flow and is a non-voting ASFPM Board Member, contributed to the report as an advisor.

ASFPM Foundation Board Member Mark Forest has advised that the Board is considering hosting a forum, either virtual or in-person, on the topic in 2021. As urban flooding/overland flow flooding is also an issue of keen interest to FMA Members the Board wants to explore ways to collaborate with FMA.

FMA President Ian Dinham said “the ASFPM Foundation report is a valuable blueprint for identifying the journey ahead and a joint forum would be an appropriate next step. FMA would be pleased to join with ASFPM in this project.”

This is an exciting opportunity for FMA/ASFPM collaboration and to grow our extensive pool of flood risk management knowledge internationally.

MONTHLY YFM FEATURE

The FMA Young Floodplain Managers (YFM) group is growing in Queensland!

YFM are seeking volunteers interested in supporting initiation of a Queensland chapter. This would primarily involve attending virtual meetings with other QLD volunteers to discuss and organise a series of launch events accessible to Floodplain Managers across QLD. At this stage there isn’t a tenure commitment to the volunteer role, as volunteers would not be formal committee members. However, support for the calendar year of 2020 would be appreciated.

Volunteers can be of any age, though we particularly encourage those with less than 15 years’ experience in the industry to reach-out. Contact Alana Mosely at [email protected] by the 15th of July to register your interest!

Further information about YFM is available at floods.org.au/site/yfm